Improvement in elongated projectiles for fire-arms



Patented Aug. 18, 1863.

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Wzn asses UNITED STATES PATENT, Orricn.v

JOSEPH Ntrr'rixcnan SMITH, olv-'NEW Youn, y.

lMPROVEMENT IN ELONGATED PROJECTILES FR F|-ll5.ARlii-S.4

Specification forming part of Lei ters Patent No. 39.693, dated August lrhltlvl.

.To a/ZZ whom it my concern-.f

, Beit known that I, JOSEPH No'r'liNuirAa-r SMITH, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Arrow Projectile; and I do hereby declare ,that

the following is a full and Vexact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification. Figure l is a central longitudinal section thereof, arranged as an explosive missile or shell 5 Fig. 2, a similar sectionthcreofas constructedfor a simple arrow 77projectile.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in both figures.

In order to ll the bore of the gun, the projectile is cylindrical, exceptthe pointedend of the head which projects out of the gun. .This

' cylindrical portion is composed externally of a hollow cylinder or case, B, and'a cylindrical charge-chamber, C, which should properly bemade separately from the case B, and then unlted thereto, as at s. Overthe'se a jacket, A, generally made of cotton' or other ibrous substance, knit or woven, thick, soft, and yielding, so as'to fit the rifle-grooves of the gun- .ba-rrel, isstretched. It is saturated with a compound of beeswax and tallow or any other suitable lubricating substance.

Between the chargelchamber C and the hollow b of the shaft portion of the projectileis a lsolid partition, c, sufficiently thick andstrong to enable the projectile to be propelled by the pressure against it, and to prevent the too rapid communication of heat from the 4exploding 'charge throughto the hollow b when the latter 'is illed withA powder for-exploding as a shell.

The front end of the case B is filled with metal, so as to make a head of the required weight for the projectile, and this head is constructed Somewhat differently, accordi ngras the projectile 4is to be used-as an explosive missile or as a simple shot. In the latter case, asrepresentedin Fig. 2,-th'e head is simplycomposed of an ironor steel bolt, E, pointed at e, and of a cylindrical plug, T, of lead, having a screw or Shank, t, 4,projecting forward, so that the pointbolt E 'may be screwed thereon, and there is a Stop, G, held in place by pins h, between the bolt 'and plug, to assist in holding the 'plug in place, and to cause the bolt to be drawn inward till a `shoulder thereon is tightenedV case Il back of the head makes ahollow shaft of the best form; but when the projectile is to' beexploded as a shell the construction is varied :from the above, as shown in Fig. 1.- First, the shaft-hollow b serves as the magazine, to be lled with the explosive substance. Then iminediately forward of that is a strong and thick partition, G, tting 'the hollow ofthe case P and securely held in place by pins h h, or their equivalents', driven in through the case B. In front of the partition G-is the head, composed of an outer hollow cylinder, D, fitting in the case Bfr/:and of .a central point-bolt, E, which fits into the hollow of the cylinder D. The

front end o1 the cylinder D projects somewhat l beyond the case B, is partially conical, and has a shoulder, d, to abut against the'overlapping` t', around it,which isilled with powder. From this chamber Vent-apertures g-g open back through the partition Gr into the magazinef chamber b. The cylinder D reaches back to and bears against the partit-ion G. The bolt Eis pointed at e, and has a :shoulder which bears against a ring, r, of india-rubber or other elastic material, surrounding the bolt behind the shoulder, and bearing at its rear end against .the extremity ofthe cylinder D, substantially as shown.- The main portion of the' bolt Ells 4and ts the hollow of the cylinder D; but the rear end terminates in a small cylinder or rod, n, reaching not quite back tothe rear end oi' the cylinder D, vsubstantially as represented. The space or chamber m larounfd this rod is also lled with powder, 'and has communication l too readily, and thus allow the projectile to t. exploder before leaving the gunby the 'concus-I sion in firing; but this pin is weak enough to 4.yield to the rmuch more violent concussion v 'when the pointe of vth'de projectile strikes kthe object. When the projectile strikes,v the point e enters the object and continues to penetrate .it till the concussionbreaks the pink and compresses the elasticringr far enough to cause the cap p to strike the rear end of ,the cylinder D and explode.` This ignites the powder in thechainber m, thereby forcing the boltEfob ward from the cylinder D and yincreasing its penetration. .Instantly .the'gnition of the powder in thechambermcommunicatesthroughthe apertures l l to the powder in the chamber tt, y y the explosion of which propels the cylinder D forward and further increases the penetration. iiy'lhxence the ignition is communcatedthrough Itho'ventuperturcs g gv to the powder in the main chamber or magazine b; This immediutely bursts the case B at the rear end, where is weakest, land its work alwaysA in"l a 'foward dirootiomto tho aeotruotion of the ob; ject struck. What I claim as my invention,and`desire toy secure' by Letters Patent,.is'

1. .The combination of tho point-bolt Etna l cylinder D, with their powderohamberm 'andf i, arranged so as to ignite the powdentherein-k successiyelytfrom the concussion of the projectile in striking, substantially as and for the purpose herein speoied. v l

2. The'arrangement of the magazine-cham- -berb in the sha of the projectile, 'in combination with the powder-chambers i and m, so as to iire the powder in 'succession aftef the` -ringof the charges in the other cliambersfv substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth,

A JOSEPH NOTTINGHAM SMITH.

W itncsses:

v J. Sm. BROWN,

WM. F. BROWN. 

